The Truth is out there
by aka2
Summary: Steve goes all out to save the life of a female very close to him, injuring himself along the way. Can the rest of the gang help him in time?


The Truth is out there  
  
Chapter one  
  
The bullet hit him square in the chest, knocking him to the ground, where he lay motionless, a pool of dark red already beginning to stain his shirt. He struggled to sit up, but this only resulted in a bout of nausea, and an unbearable pain shooting through his entire body, he lay back down and was thankful for the welcoming darkness that was beckoning him into blissful sleep.  
  
Jesse couldn't do anything to help his friend, he squirmed and tried to fight his way out of the ropes that bound his hands together "Steve hold on buddy, I'm coming!". Finally, with help from the blood that lubricated his wrist so he could work his way free, he managed to get to Steve. The attacker had long since gone, and Jesse felt his friend to see if he could find a pulse, he did. Leaving him he quickly dialled for an ambulance. Running back to Steve, he did everything he could with the limited supplies he had. He tried to stop the bleeding, applying a great deal of pressure to the wound. Eventually he heard the heavenly sound of a wailing siren, stoking back Steve's hair, he told his friend "hold on, please just hold on".  
  
The gurney burst through the double doors into the emergency room, where Dr Mark Sloan was awaiting the arrival of his son. Jesse had phoned ahead to lessen the shock of Mark finding out that his son had yet again been seriously injured. The doctor on duty was satisfied enough that Steve was stable, and raced him down to theatre to remove the bullet. Mark and Jesse went to the doctor's lounge to await news on Steve. They sat in silence, both were thankful that the other was dormant, for neither felt like talking. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity and a half, Dr Johnson came to find them. "The surgery went extremely well. The bullet missed his vital organs, by some miracle i might add, it was lodged extremely close to his aorta, but no damage was done. He's in recovery now, but he should be awake shortly"  
  
Mark was awashed with relief. He loved his son, more than life itself, and couldn't bear the thought of ever outliving him. He thanked the doctor profusely, and made his way up to recovery.  
  
Several hours later Jesse and Mark sat with Steve in his room. He was awake, but feeling very sore.  
  
"Dad, it was him, i got too close to the truth... i had the evidence in my hand, and i lost it. I've let everybody down dad, you, Jess, Amanda.... And her"  
  
"Steve, listen to me, you have not let anybody down, you have not done anything wrong, we will sort everything out, we will get proof again, you cant give up, you cant let them win"  
  
"But what about the consequences of my actions, how can i live with them, she could be killed dad, i couldn't live with that dad"  
  
"Steve, son, don't worry about that now. You could have died today, just be thankful that your alive. Try and get some rest, things will be clearer in the morning. Just don't shut us out again, we can help you, please let us".  
  
"I feel so guilty dad, I'm really sorry"  
  
"You have nothing to feel sorry for. Now we'll come back in the morning. Please stop worrying Steve"  
  
Steve sunk back into his pillows, and drew in a deep, ragged breath.  
  
It hurt him to move, not that he felt like he had the energy to, he felt really like tired, The pain in his chest was getting worse, and it hurt to breathe, he tried to ask his father for help, but the words wouldn't come out. Mark looked at him with a great deal of concern. Steve had become increasingly pale over the last few minutes. His breathing had become quick and uneven, and his blood pressure was dropping at an alarming rate. "Son, hold on I'm going to get Dr John..." As he said this Steve's heart stopped. Jesse sprung into action, calling out for backup. The crash team came in, and started to resuscitate Steve. They shocked him several times, but nothing happened. Mark stood at the back of the room shouting out for them to help his son. After half an hour, there was no change in Steve's condition and all the doctors except Mark and Jesse agreed that there was no more they could do. Jesse started to protest "We need to get him back into surgery, he's obviously bleeding internally"  
  
"Dr Travis it's too late" replied Dr Johnson  
  
"No, it's not, prep him for surgery, you must have missed the bleed, we need him in their NOW"  
  
"Dr Travis, you know as well as I do that nothing more can be done, let him go"  
  
"Mark couldn't believe what he was hearing. He grabbed the defibrillator paddles and shouted "350, Clear" as he shocked his son. Dr Johnson took them off him "Mark, there's nothing we can do. I'm sorry, but Steve's gone". Mark looked around the room, then at his son, lying on the table, so pale. "I'm sorry Steve, I'm so, so sorry I wasn't there for you, I love you" He stroked back Steve's hair, vaguely aware of Dr Johnson announcing in the background, "Time of death 23.06pm".  
  
**TBC** 


End file.
